Colombo, Feb 10 (IANS) Opener Sahibzada Farhan’s blistering 73 at the top of the order, followed by a controlled bowling effort, powered Pakistan to a convincing 32-run victory over the USA in their Group A clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Tuesday.

Put in to bat, Pakistan posted a competitive 190/9, riding on Farhan’s explosive strokeplay and a crucial third-wicket partnership with captain Babar Azam. The target proved beyond the USA, who finished on 158/8 despite spirited resistance from Shayan Jahangir and Shubham Ranjane.

Pakistan began brightly through openers Saim Ayub and Farhan, who added 54 for the first wicket to provide early momentum. While Ayub departed for a brisk 19, Farhan took control of the innings with an array of confident strokes, repeatedly clearing the infield and the ropes. His 73 came off just 41 deliveries and included six fours and five sixes, setting the tone for a high-scoring effort.

After a brief wobble that saw Salman Agha depart cheaply, Farhan found an able ally in Babar. The pair stitched together an 81-run partnership that steadied Pakistan and ensured the run rate remained healthy through the middle overs. Babar’s 46 off 32 balls was measured yet effective, as he rotated strike efficiently and punished anything loose.

The innings lost some momentum late as wickets fell in quick succession. Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf failed to get going, while run-outs accounted for Usman Khan and Abrar Ahmed. However, Shadab Khan’s late assault, a 12-ball 30, injected fresh impetus to push Pakistan close to the 200 mark.

For the USA, Shadley van Schalkwyk was the standout bowler, claiming 4-25 and repeatedly breaking partnerships. Mohammad Mohsin, Saurabh Netravalkar, and Harmeet Singh picked up one wicket apiece, but the damage inflicted in the powerplay and middle overs proved costly.

Chasing 191, the USA showed early intent but struggled to sustain momentum against Pakistan’s varied attack. Andries Gous fell early, while captain Monank Patel failed to make an impact. Shayan Jahangir led the resistance with a fluent 49 off 34 balls, combining well with Milind Kumar, who struck 29, to briefly raise hopes of a chase.

The turning point came as Pakistan tightened their grip through the middle overs. Shadab Khan’s two wickets and Usman Tariq’s three-wicket haul stalled the USA innings, while Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Nawaz chipped in with timely breakthroughs. Shubham Ranjane’s counter-attacking 51 off 30 balls added some late excitement, but the asking rate climbed steadily.

In the end, the USA closed on 158/8, falling short by 32 runs as Pakistan’s bowlers executed their plans with discipline to seal a comprehensive victory.

With that, Pakistan avenged their loss against the USA from the T20 World Cup of 2024, where the latter had scripted one of the biggest upsets of the tournament by defeating the Men in Green.

Brief scores:

Pakistan 190/9 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 73, Babar Azam 46, Shadab Khan 30; Shadley van Schalkwyk 4-25) beat USA 158/8 in 20 overs (Shubham Ranjane 51, Shayan Jahangir 49; Usman Tariq 3-27, Shadab Khan 2-26) by 32 runs

–IANS

vi/bsk/